Dominion Millennium Oak Aged

Brewed by Old Dominion Brewing Co.
Style: Barley Wine
Dover, Delaware USA

Clear copper body with a silky beige head. Aroma of quality maple syrup, smooth vanilla, sweet whiskey, faint smoke and nice oak. Tons of vanilla bean in the flavor plus subdued whiskey and medium oak. Medium-high sweetness, relatively light, but emerging bitterness, and substantial wood. Very nice barley wine, but I prefer the regular Millennium with its less pronounced vanilla character.

This bottle (11/05) was part of a trade, but I can not remember from whom (sorry). It had a slick maple syrup like pour (orange and copper) with no head and thin lacing. The aroma is vanilla sweet malt, sharpish molasses and sherry (when cold). Hints of butter and cardboard also. The flavor is complex with caramel, butter, light hops (present more as bitterness than any particular flavor), bourbon and wood, and light vanilla sweetness. Buttery-oily mouth feel. This was good, though I did not think it was too special.

12oz - thanks Jeffin7 - bottled date 22 July 04 - Aroma is oak, bourbon, hops, carmel, vanilla, prune, and raisin. Very pleasant and inviting. Pours brown-orange with small ring head and decent lacing. Flavor has a bit of alcohol burn, but other than that, the flavor matches aroma. It all blends very well so that each sip gives you the full spectrum. Palate is crisp and tart. A very tasty barleywine.

Bottle. Amber pour. Big woody sweet caramel malty aroma and flavor with notes of vanilla and bourbon. Had a little alcohol burn on it. Cloying, but fairly drinkable. I enjoyed.

12oz. bottle, oddly darkened and opaque (painted?), bottling date 7/22/04, 11.4% abv. Powerful and heady aroma, full of dark, sugary malt sweetness and abundant aged oak alongside lighter notes of vanilla, bourbon, alcohol, pineapple, and some very faint earthy hop spice, perfume and tart cherry accents. Hazy deep red-orange color with fiery highlights, apparently bottle conditioned and with a slight ring head surrounding a fading galaxy pattern in the center. Flavor profile is very well balanced and throughout, the powerful and sweet, toasty maltiness combining with strong suggestions of oak woodiness and a generous amount of hops as evidenced by a strong bitterness and spicy, leafy, very lightly citric flavor and overlaid with a gentle blend of peppery alcohol, bourbon, toffee, vanilla, and red grape. The elements here seem particularly nicely integrated. Finish is incredibly lengthy, warming, complex and impressive. Palate is smooth and thick, body is quite approriately full. A true pleasure and very nicely done overall.

Clear red-amber body with a very thin tan head. Big aroma (mighty impressive) - sweet and sugary, mild vanilla, bourbon and oak. Sweet sugary taste ( a little syrupy) , a bit astringent, with a fair amount of alcohol flavoring. Touches of vanilla and light fruitiness. Finishes a little sweet, also with some alcohol bite and bourbon and oak flavors.

Oak Barrel Millennium pours to a beautiful, bright, deep amber color with a short white head, and a soft to moderate amount of carbonation. The nose on this beer is striking. Complex aromas of sweet malt, sherry, oak, toffee, vanilla, and black pepper flood the nostrils. This is the type of beer that you will just love smelling, let alone drinking. The palate is full and lush on the tongue, with complex sweet malt flavors, paired with undertones of plumy fruit, oak, sherry, and hints of vanilla, and toffee. Oak Barrel Millennium finishes with more of those complex malty and fruity flavors, then ends with a very warming oaky/sherry alcohol burn, that lights a fire and lingers. A very, very impressive barleywine made all the more special by spending some time in the oak barrel. The complex aromas and flavors this beer picks up from the oak barrel bring an already stellar beer to new heights. This beer is the perfect after dinner drink or night cap beer, and should be enjoyed in the colder months with a good book or late night movie. I believe the price of $5 a bottle is a bit inflated, but that is due to the fact the run of this beer was so limited. If you want this one, it is available at the brewery, and is well worth picking up a bottle or two, if you find yourself in Northern Virginia.

Smallish head red/brown color. Aroma is sweet, with the oak and bourbon coming through. Flavor has bourbon, and some sweetness. Smooth finish with a nice mouthfeel. Alcohol was there but not overpowering.